Device for the placing of a partial catheter in a body cavity

ABSTRACT

Device consisting of an auxiliary catheter (9), a fastening element (13), and a blocking device (11), designed in such a way that a partial catheter (2) can be mounted and secured at the end of the auxiliary catheter until the partial catheter has been placed in the desired position in a body cavity, especially the urethra, after which the partial catheter can be detached from the auxiliary catheter by manipulation of the blocking device and the fastening element, so that only the partial catheter is left in the desired position in the body cavity.

The invention concerns a device comprising an auxiliary catheter and afastening element with a blocking device for the placing of a partialcatheter in a body cavity.

The invention chiefly concerns an instrument for the placing of apartial catheter in the form of a spirally coiled metal wire in aurethra in men and especially in the part of the urethra that is locatedin the prostate. It will also be possible to apply the device accordingto the invention for the placing of partial catheters in other bodycavities such as the oesphagus, the biliary passage, the intestine, orthe trachea.

Equipment for the placing of partial catheters in e.g. the biliarypassage is known. A considerable disadvantage in the equipment alreadyknown is that it does not comprise an independent device for securingthe partial catheter during the placing procedure. A furtherdisadvantage in the equipment already known is that the equipment endswhere the partial catheter begins, so that a very flexible partialcatheter and particularly a spirally coiled metal wire catheter is veryunstable during the process of placing.

The purpose of the present invention is to eliminate thesedisadvantages.

This purpose is achieved in accordance with the invention by means of aninstrument which is characteristic in that a flexible auxiliarycatheter, preferably made of a plastic material, which is partly slottedat one end, is introduced into the partial catheter, and that thepartial catheter is secured in its position in relation to the auxiliarycatheter by means of a fastening element, preferably made of stainlesssteel, which is led through the auxiliary catheter up to the slottedpart, where a spirally coiled part of the fastening element clutches inthe auxiliary catheter as a consequence of the slotting of the auxiliarycatheter.

The auxiliary catheter and the fastening element are adjusted to eachother in such a way that the fastening element sticks out of thecatheter at the opposite end from the slotting, whereby the auxiliarycatheter and the fastening element can be manipulated in relation toeach other by rotary movements or pulling/pushing movements.

If the interior of the fastening element is suitably shaped, a movementof the fastening element will imply that it is detached from the partialcatheter, after which the auxiliary catheter together with the fasteningelement can be pulled out of the partial catheter and after that out ofthe urethra.

When the equipment is used in accordance with the invention for theplacing of a spirally coiled metal wire catheter in the urethra in aman, the placing procedure is carried out mainly under local anesthesiaof the urethra and under indirect visualization of the position of thepartial catheter by means of ultra-sound or radioscopy. In thelast-mentioned case the auxiliary catheter and the fastening element canbe provided with one or more radiopaque markers.

In the following the invention will be described in greater detail withreference to the drawing, where

FIG. 1 shows a perspective picture of a preferred embodiment of apartial catheter.

FIG. 2 shows a perspective picture of a preferred embodiment of theauxiliary catheter.

FIG. 3 shows a perspective picture of a preferred embodiment of ablocking device for the fastening element in relation to the auxiliarycatheter in the partial catheter.

FIG. 4 shows a perspective picture of a preferred embodiment of thefastening element.

FIG. 5 shows a perspective picture of all the assembled parts of apreferred embodiment of the device in accordance with the invention.

In the drawing 1 indicates a tapered end coil of a spirally coiled metalwire catheter 2, preferably made of stainless, acid-resisting steel witha coating of gold. 3 and 4 indicate rods bent radially to the centre ofthe catheter and connected by a longitudinal, preferably 20 mm long rod5. The rods 3 and 4 are preferably shifted 180 degrees in relation toeach other. 6 indicated final turns in the lower end of the spiral whichforms an attachment number on the catheters 2. 7 and 8 indicate partial,longitudinal slots in the upper end of the auxiliary catheter,preferably made in such a way that the one slot 7 is seven mm long andmore than 20 mm shorter than the other slot 8, and that the two slots 7and 8 are shifted 180 degrees in relation to each other, whereby itbecomes possible for the two rods 3 and 4 to slide down into the slots.When the upper rod 3 slides down to the bottom of a preferred embodimentof the slot 7, further introduction of the auxiliary catheter 9 into thepartial catheter 2 is stopped. 10 indicates a conical form of the lowerend of the auxiliary catheter 9. 11 shows a funnel in the form of astepped truncated cone, where the external taper of the cone is the sameas the taper of the internal wall of the conical form 10 of the lowerend of the catheter 9. 12 shows a spirally coiled form of the upper endof the fastening element, preferably made of one continuous piece ofstainless steel wire. The spirally coiled part 12 is preferably made asfive counter-clockwise turns with an outer diameter allowing thespirally coiled part 12 to be moved freely backwards and forwards in thelumen of the auxiliary catheter. The turns of the spirally coiled part12 have a pitch and a internal diameter enabling the spiral to bescrewed up around the lower part of the longitudinal rod 5 of thepartial catheter 2 by axial rotation of the fastening element 13. If thelength of the auxiliary catheter 9 is adjusted to the length of thefastening element 13, a 900 degrees screwing movement in order toconnect the spiral 12 and the rod 5 will imply that the rod 3 is drawntightly to the bottom of the slot 7, where it is stopped, while at thesame time the fastening element 13 sticks five mm out of the conicalopening 10 of the auxiliary catheter 9. 14 indicates a disc-shapedhandle preferably made of a plastic material cast around the lower endof the fastening element 13. After the mounting further rotation of thefastening element 13 is prevented by the funnel 11 being pressed partlyinto the interior of the conical part 10 of the auxiliary catheter 9, sothat the disc-shaped handle 14 is blocked. The blocking is furthersecured by the fact that after the mounting much more than five mm ofthe funnel 11 protrudes from the conical part 10 of the auxiliarycatheter 9, so that rotation of the handle is blocked.

We claim:
 1. A device for placing a partial catheter in a body cavitycomprising:a partial catheter having an open end and an attachmentmember spaced from said open end; an auxiliary catheter onto which aportion of said partial catheter removable extends; a fastening elementextending through said auxiliary catheter, said fastening element havingat one end a means for releasably connecting to said attachment memberof said partial catheter; means for selectively holding said partialcatheter in place on said auxiliary catheter; and means for selectivelyreleasing said partial catheter from said fastening member; whereby saidpartial catheter, auxiliary catheter and fastening element can beinserted into the body cavity to position the partial catheter in placeand the partial catheter can then be selectively released from saidauxiliary catheter and said fastener element and left in said bodycavity after the auxiliary catheter and fastening element are removed.2. A device for placing a partial catheter in a body cavity comprising:apartial catheter having an open end and an attachment member spaced fromsaid open end; an auxiliary catheter onto which a portion of saidpartial catheter removable extends, said auxiliary catheter including atleast one elongated slot into which a portion of said partial catheterfits, thereby preventing relative rotation between said partial catheterand said auxiliary catheter; and a fastening element associated withsaid auxiliary catheter, said fastening element having at one end ameans for releasably connecting to said attachment member of saidpartial catheter and holding said partial catheter in place on saidauxiliary catheter; means for selectively releasing said partialcatheter from said fastening member; whereby said partial catheter,auxiliary catheter and fastening element can be inserted into the bodycavity to position the partial catheter into place and the partialcatheter can then be selectively released from said auxiliary catheterand said fastening element and left in said body cavity after theauxiliary catheter and fastening element are removed.
 3. The device ofclaim 2 wherein said auxiliary catheter is made of a plastic material.4. A device for placing a partial catheter in a body cavity comprising:apartial catheter having an open end and an attachment member spaced fromsaid open end, said partial catheter including an elongated rod formedbetween said open end of said partial catheter and said attachmentmember of said partial catheter; an auxiliary catheter onto which aportion of said partial catheter removable extends; a fastening elementassociated with said auxiliary catheter, said fastening element havingat one end a means for releasably connecting to said attachment memberof said partial catheter and holding said partial catheter in place onsaid auxiliary catheter; and means for selectively releasing saidpartial catheter from said fastening member; whereby said partialcatheter, auxiliary catheter and fastening element can be inserted intothe body cavity to position the partial catheter in place and thepartial catheter can then be selectively released from said auxiliarycatheter and said fastener element and left in said body cavity afterthe auxiliary catheter and the fastening element are removed.
 5. Thedevice of claim 4 wherein said partial catheter includes a firstelongated spiral coil; said elongated rod being connected at one end tosaid first spiral coil, and a second spiral coil forming said attachmentmember, connected to the other end of said elongated rod opposite saidfirst elongated spiral coil.
 6. The device of claim 5 wherein saidfastening element includes a third spiral coil sized to rotatablyinterconnect with said second spiral coil of said partial catheter, anelongated middle portion, and a handle portion spaced from said thirdspiral coil.
 7. A device for placing a partial catheter in the urethraof a male comprising:a partial catheter including a first elongatedspiral coil having an open end, an intermediate rod being connected atone end too said first elongated spiral coil, and an attachment memberconnected to said intermediate rod opposite said first spiral coil; anauxiliary catheter onto which a portion of said partial catheterremovably extends; a fastening element extending through said auxiliarycatheter, said fastening element having at one end means for releasablyconnecting to said attachment member of said partial catheter; a plugsized to snugly fit within a portion of said auxiliary catheter andagainst said fastening element to selectively hold said partial catheterin place on said auxiliary catheter; and means for selectively releasingsaid partial catheter from said fastening element; whereby said partialcatheter, auxiliary catheter and fastening element can be inserted intothe urethra to position the partial catheter in place and the partialcatheter can then be selectively released from said auxiliary catheterand said fastening element and left in said urethra after the auxiliarycatheter and fastening element are removed.
 8. The device of claim 7wherein said partial catheter is made of stainless steel with a coatingof a bio-compatible material to prevent crystalline growth.
 9. Thedevice of claim 8 wherein said bio-compatible material is gold.
 10. Adevice for placing a partial catheter in a body cavity comprising:apartial catheter having an open end and an attachment member spaced fromsaid open end; an auxiliary catheter onto which a portion of saidpartial catheter removable extends; a fastening element extendingthrough said auxiliary catheter, said fastening element having at oneend a means for releasably connecting to said attachment member of saidpartial catheter; means for selectively holding said partial catheter inplace on said auxiliary catheter, said means including a plug sized tosnugly fit within a portion of said auxiliary catheter and against saidfastening element to hold said fastening element relative to saidauxiliary catheter; and means for selectively releasing said partialcatheter from said fastening member; whereby said partial catheter,auxiliary catheter and fastening element can be inserted into the bodycavity to position the partial catheter in place and the partialcatheter can then be selectively released from said auxiliary catheterand said fastening element and left in said body cavity after theauxiliary catheter and fastening element are removed.
 11. The device inclaim 10 wherein said means for selectively releasing said partialcatheter from said fastening member includes a handle secured to an endof said fastening member and extending beyond the end of said auxiliarycatheter opposite said partial catheter.
 12. The device in claim 11wherein said auxiliary catheter has a first elongated portion which iscylindrical in shape and a second portion at its end opposite saidpartial catheter which is conical in shape.
 13. The device in claim 12wherein said plug is sized to snugly fit within the conical end of saidauxiliary catheter.
 14. The device of claim 13 wherein said partialcatheter includes an first elongated spiral coil; an elongated rod beingconnected at one end too said first spiral coil, and a second spiralcoil forming said attachment member and connected to the other end ofsaid elongated rod opposite said first elongated spiral coil.
 15. Thedevice of claim 14 wherein said partial catheter has a first radiallyextending rod proximate said first elongated spiral coil and a secondradially extending rod proximate said second spiral coil and whereinsaid auxiliary catheter includes a slot into which at least one of saidfirst and second radially extending rods project, thereby preventing therelative rotation of said partial catheter and said auxiliary catheter.16. The device of claim 15 wherein said auxiliary catheter includes apair of slots; each slot having a different length; said first andsecond radially extending rods each respectively fitting into one ofsaid slots.